In which Ragnar Lothbrok raids England for the first time and in the process, he not only spares a monk named Athelstan, but a slave girl he ends up naming Tova. However, he soon learns that things involving the girl are not what they seem and she i...
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As the days passed and they were still at sea, she soon grew used to the name Ragnar Lothbrok had given her.
Tova.
At first, she hated it, but she felt as though it was growing on her. Perhaps it was because she had never had a name before.
"Ragnar Lothbrok," She suddenly heard Athelstan speak up, causing her to turn her head to look at him.
"What is it?" Ragnar asked Athelstan as he turned his head.
"Brother Cenwulf here, beside me, I think he's dead," Athelstan informed Ragnar, who stood up and made his way over to them.
"You're right," Ragnar replied once checking to see if the man was dead, "Leif."
Tova looked up, watching with wide eyes as the two men lifted Cenwulf before throwing him into the ocean without a care in the world.
"We are all going to die. God save us," Athelstan spoke softly and Tova smiled as she shook her head.
"I don't think God is going to help us with this. We are on our own," Tova replied in a soft tone as one of the men began to laugh.
It wasn't long before they neared land, causing a man Tova did not know to stand up and begin to cheer loudly.
Once making to the docks, Athelstan and Tova were among those dragged off the boats with ropes binding their wrists together.
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It wasn't long before they were dragged into the Great Hall of Kattegat, where all the riches the Northmen had found in England were laid out for all to see.
"My lord, it was easy to take all of these things. The priests in their temple, they had no weapons. They were like babies," Ragnar explained to Earl Haraldsson with a small smile on his face, "Their only slave was a mere girl."
Earl Haraldson and his wife, Siggy, turned to look at Tova after hearing Ragnar's words. They frowned, the girl looking familiar to them.
Tova stared back at them, frowning since she noticed the way they looked at her. Did they know her?
Ragnar tugged Athelstan forward before grabbing him by the hair, "Here is one of their priests. We captured several of them to sell for slaves," He explained before pushing Athelstan back and turning to address the crowd, "It must be true that there are many more such holy places in England. And other lands to the West likewise filled with such treasure, and to sail there will benefit us all."
The crowd began to speak amongst themselves, murmuring and nodding in agreement.
After a moment, Earl Haraldson stood up from his throne, looking directly at Ragnar. "How did you find this place of great riches when all before you had failed?"
